Method and apparatus for separating fibers



947. R. A. FAIRBAIRN 2,420,035

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING FIBERS Filed Nov. 11, 1942 Jrzqen'ar Rqeri Patented May 6, 1947 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR v SEPARATIN G FIBERS Robert A. Fairbairn, Wellesley, Mass. Application November 11, 1942, Serial No. 465,217

(01. mass) 21 Claims.

This invention pertains to the preparation, for

' textile uses, of such natural fleeces as cashmere,

web the hair fibers be divided into very short lengths, without cutting or substantially injuring the down fibers, and that thereafter the resultant short lengths of hair, together with the dandruff, may be removed from the down fibers by pneumatic treatment. While the method and apparatus disclosed in the aforesaid application :2 highly useful, the pneumatic separation of the dandruff and fragments of hair from the down fibers has certain disadvantages, in particular the necessary prolongation of the separating operation due to the firm adherence of the dandruff to the fiber, the resultant complication and expense of the apparatus required, and the necessity for careful and skilled supervision of the operation. The present invention has for its principal object the provision of an improved but simplified, relatively inexpensive and reliable method of and means for separating the dandrufi' and fragments of hair from the down fibers; an improved method of and means for preparing the fleece for presentation to the hair-dividing means; an improved method of and means for dividing the hairs into short lengths, and in general to provide a novel and useful method of and means for cleaning fleeces of the class referred to. Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the following more detailed description and by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Fig. i is a diagrammatic view in elevation, illustrating the several steps in a preferred embodiment of the method and indicating appropriate mechanical parts for performing the method;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section, to larger scale, showing certain details of the hair-dividing means; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing further details of the dividing means.

method, together with apparatus of more or less conventional character employed in performing certain of the steps of the method, the numeral i designates the cylinder of a wool card, the numeral 2 designates the doffer cylinder of this card, and the numeral 3 indicates an endless conveyor belt having a smooth surface and which is suitably supported by and-driven by rolls 4. This conveyor belt is designed to receive the thin web or film F from the doffer roll 2 of the card. A vibratory comb C peels the film from the doffer roll. This web or film is thin and has a strong tendency to adhere to the doffer roll 2, In order to insure satisfactory delivery of this web or film from the doffer roll to the upper run of the conveyor 3, there is provided, in accordance'with the present invention, a dielectrifying apparatus, indicated generally by the numeral 5, and here shown as associated with the comb C. This apparatus may be of a known commercial type supplied, for example, with alternating current at cycles and producing a potential of fourteen thousand volts or the like, and comprises a discharge device disposed close to the surface of the dofier roll, and is operative to neutralize the effects of any electrical charge within the fleece or film.

The web or film F which is carried by the upper run of they conveyor 3 is moved to the right, as viewed in Fig, l, and delivered tcthe hair-dividing apparatus 6. This dividing apparatus may be of substantially the same type as that morefully described and illustrated in the above copending application, comprising a rigid roll i (Fig. 2) having a smooth, hard cylindrical surface with which cooperates the cutting or dividing roll 8; This latter roll is mounted in suitable bearings capable of micrometer adjustment, so as to vary the distance between the peripheries of the rolls 1 and 8 with thegreatest accuracy, and the surface of the roll 8 (Fig. 3) is furnished with cutting or dividing elements, for example a plurality of steel wires 8 of small diameter wrapped helicaliy about the surface of and fixed to the roll proper. These wires may be of usual circular cross section and preferably of a diam-- eter of approximately 0.010 inch, and as the rolls 1 and 8 are rotated (by suitable gearing not shown) the wires which form the cutting elements are pressed into the beard hairs (the latter being rigidly supported by the smooth cylindrical surface of the roll 1) and since these beard hairs are relatively inelastic and brittle, the compression of these hairs between the surface of the roll 1 and the rib-like dividing wires results in cutting or snapping the hairs into short sec- 3 I tions, In this connection it may be noted that the helical cutting ribs of the roll 8 are so close together, peripherally of the roll, that the beard hairs are cut into small fragments, for example of the order of inch in length. As an alternative, flutes may be formed integral with the roll 8, or instead of ribs or flutes, it is contemplated that the roll may be provided with similarly ar-' ranged slots or grooves, the compression of the hairs between the rolls causing the hairs to flex sharply at the edges of the grooves and thus to be snapped into short lengths. The rolls 1 and 8 are initially so set that theribs or wires of roll I touch the smooth rigid surface of roll 1. Thus when the thin fleece or film of fibrous material passes between them the beard hairs are subjected to a cutting or breaking action, since these hairs are of substantially greater diameter than the down fibers. The film as it enters between the rolls is preferably of the order of one fiber thick, and since the hairs are usually thicker than the down fibers, the hairs will in most instances be cut or broken at a great number of points in their lengths, while the down fibers are "in most instances uncut and uninjured.

The film or web F which is delivered from dofler roll 2 onto the belt 3 consists of hairs and down fibers which are indiscriminately oriented, crossing and recrossing one another in all directions, and ,this web or film is at least several fibers thicki Interposed between the down-going run of the belt 3 and the surface of the roll I is a drafting roll 16. This roll bears against the surface of roll 1, but its surface speed is less than that of roll 1. The surface of roll I is kept moist by dipping into a body of fluid I3 in a receptacle ii. To insure a uniform and very thin film of moisture on the roll I a scraper roll [4 is provided. This roll contacts roll 1 and turns in a. direction opposite to that of roll 1 so as to remove surplus fluid.

The surface of roll 16 receives moisture from the'roll I and thus the web F, carried by belt 3,

tends to cling to roll l6 and is thereby peeled off from belt 3 and advanced into the bite of rolls l6 and I. As the web F enters the bite of rolls l6 and I it is several fibers thick, as above noted, and comprises fibers extending in all directions, but since the surface of rolls 1 is moist and turns faster than the roll Hi, the advancing ends of the fibers tend to move forwardly with the roll 1, while their rear or trailing ends are still held in the bite ofthe rolls. The resultant effect is to draw the film or web out and thus reduce its thickness and at the same time to dispose the constituent fibers and hairs in generally parallel relation so that they extend peripherally of the roll 1 and hence in a direction substantially at right angles to the cutting elements of roll 1. By driving the roll I at a suitable surface speed relative to that of the roll I it is thus possible to reduce the web or film substantially to the thickness of a single fiber. Since in this thin film, the fibers are generally parallel and, as they enter the bite of rolls 1 and 8, substantially perpendicular to the line of contact of the rolls, it suffices to use a single cutthe film (now designated F and comprising the substantially intact down fibers, dandruff, and the fragments of beard hairs) contacts a transfer brush I1 turning at a slightly, greater surface speed than the roll I. The film F is picked up by the brush Hand delivered by the latter to a cylinder ll! of larger diameter, covered with card clothing and moving at a surface speed somewhat greater than that of the brush ll. The film F which is picked up by the roll l8 passes over the upper periphery of the latter roll and is delivered to the downgoing portion of the peripheral surface of a still larger roll or drum i9, also covered with card clothing. Preferably metallic card clothing is employed, for example clothing of the rigid-tooth type, for example, Garnett wire. Suitable surface speeds for the rolls 1, I1,

I8 and I5 are for example of the order of 190, 200, 300 and 500 to 700 feet per minute respectively. Preferably, in order to prevent any of the fibrous material from matting on the periphery of the roll [8, a brush 20 is arranged in the angle between the down-going portions of the peripheries of the rolls l8 and I9. This brush is driven at such a speed and in such a direction that any fiber which adheres to the brush bristles will be stripped off by roll l9. I

fl'he action of the several rolls l1, l8 and I3 is such as further to draw out and open the web.

That portion F of the very ztenuous fibrous film which moves downwardly about the lower periphery of the roll I9 is driven outwardly toward the ends of the teeth by centrifugal action and hangs suspended loosely upon the teeth of the latter roll so that its under surface is freely exposed. Cooperating with the roll l9 are one or more series of beaters 2|. These beaters are rolls of relatively small diameter running at high velocity, for example 500 revolutions per minute, and provided with peripheral ribs 22 preferably helically arranged. These rolls are so arranged that their ribs are spaced 8. distance of about 0.010 inch from the tips of the teeth of the roll and, either by actual contact with the film F or by setting up air waves whichimpinge upon the film, set the latter into rapid and violent vibration of small amplitude. The result of this extremely rapid and repeated impact and vibration is to loosen"the dandruff from its'attachment to the fibers and to cause the dandruff and relatively heavy short fragments of beard hair to sift down and out from the interstices of the tenuous fibrous film and drop freely from the latter, so that the film is gradually freed from these impurities and is left to consist almost wholly of the down fibers. Even without previously dividing the hairs into short lengths, the opening of the film and its rapid vibration will remove a large proportion of the air and dandruff.

This clean or partially clean film is then lifted from the teeth of the roll l9 by a transfer roll 23 driven at proper speed and in the proper direction to perform this action. This roll 23 then delivers the film to a doffer cylinder 24 also furnishing with card clothing and after passing part way around the roll 24 the film of clean down fiber is again dielectrified by apparatus indicated at 25 associated with the vibrating ting roll .8 having cutting elements whose acting portions are substantially parallel to said line of contact of the rolls, in order that substantially all of the hairs be divided during a single pass of the film between the rolls.

After passing about the upper portion of the roll I and through the cutting or dividing zone,

dofiing comb C or the like. The film, now substantially free from beard hairs, dandruff and other impurities may be allowed to fall onto the fioor or into a suitable basket, or may be condensed by the use of any appropriate means.

In operation of the drafting and hair dividing apparatus as described above the length of the cut segments of beard fibers varies. This is probably due to the fact that the diameter or thickness of beard hairs varies so that the pressure exerted by the dividing elements 8 is insufficient to sever the hairs in some localities, whereas it is suflicient to sever the hair at most localities. Some of the down fibers may be cut, but the majority of them are uncut and after the short cut segments of the beard hairs have been removed the resultant mass consisting of substantially uncut down fibers is of .great value in the manufacture of yarn and fabrics. Even if all of the down fibers are out once or twice (which result may be accomplished by passing the thin carded web or film F directly from the dofier roll 2 through the bite of the rolls 1 and 8) the resultant down fibers are long enough to make an end product which is acceptable for some purposes.

Those aspects of the method and apparatus which relate solely to reducing the thickness of the carded web or film, parallelizing the beard and down fibers, or advancing the resultant web or film are claimed in my copending continuation in part application, Serial No. 662,240, filed April 15, 1946.

While one desirable embodiment of apparatus useful in performing the method of the present invention is herein disclosed by way of example, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to this precise embodiment, either as respects apparatus or method, but that equivalent apparatus may be employed and that the method may be carried out by other means either automatically or manually, all within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: I

1. Method of separating short coarse fibrous elements from fine longer fibrous elements intermingled with each other and forming a web or film, which comprises as steps suspending the web or film, such a on a cylinder provided with card clothing so as to expose, the ungler surface of the web or film, andwhile it; is so suspended subjecting it to rapid vibration. thereby tdcaiise the short coarse; fibrous-elements toi dropx away from the fine and long fibrous elements;

2. Method of preparing for textile use cashmere and similar fleeces including intermingled relatively coarse and fine fibers, which comprises as steps forming the fleece into a continuous film or web of a thickness of the order of thickness of a web produced by a card, dividing the majority at least of the coarse fibers substantially into short lengths while they still remain inter.- mingled with the fine fibers, but leaving the majority at least of the fine fibers substantially intact, suspending the intermingled fibers in the" form of a film or web so as to expose the undersurface of the film or web, and subjecting the film or web while so suspended to rapid vibra 6 so suspended, to rapid vibration thereby to cause the hair fragments to drop out of the film.

4. Method of preparing for textile use fleeces of the kind in which coarse and fine fibers are intermingled, said method comprising as steps forming the fleece into a web of the order of a single coarse fiber thick, advancing the web through a dividing zone, dividing the majority at least of the coarse fibers into short lengths while the web is passing through the dividing zone, but leaving the majority at least of the flne fibers substantially intact, and progressingv the web along a predeterminedpath while suspending a substantial lengthof the web so as to expose its under surface, and subjecting the suspended portion of the webto rapid impacts thereby to cause the short lengths of hair to drop from the web. i

5. Method of preparing cashmere and similar fibrous fleeces, comprising relatively coarse beard hairs intermingled with finer down fibers, for textile use which comprises as steps forming the fleece into a thin continuous film of a thickness of the order of the diameter of the coarse beard hairs and wherein the constituent fibers are predominantly parallel, dividing the-majority at least of the beard hairs into short lengths while leaving the majority at least of the downfibers substantially intact, and progressing the film along a predetermined path while causing it to vibrate rapidly in a direction substantially perpendicular to its face thereby to cause the'short lengths of hair to drop out of thefilnu 6. Method of preparing cashmere'and similar fibrous fleeces, comprising relatively. coarse beard hairs intermingled with finer down fibers, for textile use which'comprises as steps forming the fleece into a thin continuous film, not substaritially greater in thickness than a single beard hair, dividing the majority at least of the beard hairs into short lengths while leaving the majority at least of'thodowrr fibers-substantially intact, progressing the film along a predetermined path while suspending a 'su stantial lengthof the film so as to expose its an efisurfaceQand subjecting the suspen edportion of the film to rapid impact thereby t icause the-short lengths of hair and'the dandruff- -to bedisplaced and to drop from thefllm- H v 7. Method ofpreparing cashmereandsimilar fleece, comprising relatively coarse beard, hairs intermingled With-: finer down fibers, for textile use which comprises as steps forming a film substantially one hair thick, continuously advancing the fllm along a predetermined path-dividing the majority at least of the beard hairs into short fragments as thefilm progresses along said path, suspending the film as itinoves along a portion of its path, and causingithe suspended portion of the film rapidly to vibrate thereby to shake out the fragments of hair.

8. Method of preparing cashmere. and similar fleece, comprising relatively coarse'beard hairs intermingled with finer down fibers, for textile use which comprises as Steps 'i'ojrming ja film substantiallyone hair thick, advancing-the film along a predetermined path, dividing the majority at least of. the b'eard hairs into "sho'rt'fragments, further thinning and opening thefllni, suspending the film so that itjs'ui'iderlsurface is freely exposed, and subjecting" thej' suspended' portion of the film to rapid vibration of "small amplitude thereby to cause the fragments of hairto drop therefrom.

9. Method of preparing for textile use cash mere andsimilar fleeces including beard hairs, dandruff and down fibers, which comprises as steps scouring. dry ng and carding the fleece, to form a web in which the hairs and down fibers are indiscriminately oriented, drawing the web to dispose its constituent hairs and down fibers in substantially parallel relation, dividing the majority at .least of the hairs into short lengths while leaving the majority at least of the down fibers substantially intact, suspending the web so as to expose its under surface, and subjecting the web, while so suspended, to rapid vibration transversely of its thickness, thereby to shake out the dandruff and fragments of hair.

10. Method of preparing cashmere and similar fleece, comprising relatively coarse beard hairs intermingled with finer down fibers, for textile use which comprises as steps forming a web in which the constituent fibers are indiscriminately oriented, advancing the film along a predetermined path, moistening the film and drawing it down substantially to the thickness of a-single beard hair while concomitantly disposing the fibers predominantly in parallel relation, dividing the majority at least of the beard hairs into short fragments without substantially injuring the majority at least of the down fibers, suspending a portion of the film, including the divided hairs. so as to expose its under surface, and violently shaking the suspended film thereby to separate the fragments of hair from the down fibers.

11. Method of preparing cashmere and similar fibrous fleeces comprising short, coarse hairs intermingled with finer down fibers and containing dandruff, for textile use, which comprises as steps forming the fieece into a thin continuous film of the order of one hair thick and having its constituent fibers predominantly parallel, dividing the majority at least of the coarse hairs into short fragments while leaving the majority at least of the down fibers substantially intact, progressing the film along a predetermined path while suspendin a substantial length of the film so as to expose its under surface, and causing said suspended portion to vibrate rapidly in the direction of the thickness of the film thereby to loosen the dandruff and fragments of hair and cause them to fall from the film.

12. Method of preparing cashmere and similar fleece, containing relatively heavy beard hairs and relatively light down fibers, for textile use. which comprises as steps forming the fieece into a thin continuous film, progressing the film along a predetermined path while suspending a substantial length of the film so as to expose its under surface such as on a cylinder provided with card clothing, and subjecting said suspended portion to rapidly repeated impacts acting in the direction of the thickness of the film thereby to cause the heavier beard hairs to separate from the down fibers and drop from the film.

8 substantially intact, advancing the web through a separating zone wherein it is subjected to rapid vibration of small amplitude thereby to separate the short lengths of beard hair from the relatively long and fine down fibers, and collecting the down fibers.

14. Apparatus for use in preparing cashmere and similar fleece, including relatively coarse hairs and relatively finer down fibers, for textile use, said apparatus being of the kind wherein a card reduces the fieece to the form of a web in which hairs and down fibers are indiscriminately oriented, a. vibrating comb for removing the web from the dofiing means, means for dielectrifying the web as it approaches the field of action of the vibrating comb, an endless conveyor belt arranged to receive the web from the dofiln means of the card, drafting means operative to reduce the web to a film of substantially one-hair thickness and means operative to divide the majority at least of the hairs comprised in said film into short lengths while leaving the majority at least of the down fibers substantially intact.

15. Apparatus for use in preparing cashmere and similar fleece, including relatively stiff and coarse hairs and relatively finer down fibers, for textile use, said apparatus being or the kind wherein a card reduces the fleece to the form of a web in which the relatively heavier hairs and relatively lighter down fibers are indiscriminately oriented, web-drafting means operative to draw the web down to a, film of substantially 13. Method of preparing cashmere and similar single hair thickness, means for suspending the film of mingled heavier and lighter fibers, and means operative to impart a rapid vibration of short amplitude to'the film of mingled heavier and lighter fibers, thereby to shake the heavier fibers out from among the finer fibers.

16. Apparatus for use in preparing cashmere and similar fieece, including relatively coarse hairs and relatively finer down fibers, for textile use, said apparatus being or the kind wherein a card reduces the fleece to the form of a web in which hairs and down fibers are indiscriminately oriented, web-drafting means operative to draw the web down to a film of substantially single hair thickness, means for suspending a substantial length of said film, and means operative to impart a rapid vibration of short amplitude to the film thereby to shake out the heavier hairs.

17. Apparatus for use in preparing cashmere and similar fleece, comprising relatively short coarse hairs intermingled with relatively finer down fibers, for textile use, said apparatus being of the kind wherein.a card reduces the fleece to the form of a web in which hairs and down fibers are indiscriminately oriented, web-drafting means, hair-dividing means operative to divide the majority at least of the hairs into short lengths while leaving the majority at least of the down fibers substantially intact, and means operative to cause the web to vibrate rapidly thereby to shake the short lengths of hair out of the web.

18. Apparatus for use in preparing cashmere and similar fleece, comprising relatively short coarse hairs intermingled with relatively finer down fibers, for textile use, said apparatus being of the kind wherein a card reduces the fleece to the form of a web in which hairs and down fibers are indiscriminately oriented, web-drafting means operative to reduce the web substantially to the thickness of a single. hair, hair-dividing means operative to divide the majority at least of the aeeaoet hairs into short lengths while leaving the mapority at ieast or the down fibers substantially intact, means for suspending the web so that its under surface is free, and means operative, while the web is so suspended, to subject the web to rapidly repeated impacts, thereby to separate the short lengths of hair from the down fibers.

19. Apparatus for use in preparing cashmere and similar fleece, comprising relatively short coarse hairs intermingled. with relatively finer down fibers, for textile use, said apparatus being of the kind including a card which'reduces the fleece to the form of a web wherein constituent hairs and down fibers are indiscriminately oriented, hair-dividin means operative to-diyide the majority at least of the hairs into short lengths while leaving the majority at least of, the down fibers substantially intact, a rotary drum covered with card clothing, means operative todeliver the wewigrum, and means associated with the lower tpf said drum for imparting rapid vibration to the web suspended upon the teeth of the card clothing thereby to separate the short sections of hair from the down fibers.

20. Apparatus for use in preparing cashmere and similar fleece, comprising relatively short coarse hairs intermingled with relatively finer down fibers, for textile use, said apparatus being of the kind in which a card reduces the fleece to the form of a web wherein the constituent hairs and down fibers are indiscriminately oriented,

hair-dividing means operative to divide the maiority at least of the hairs into short lengths while leaving the majority at least of the down fibers substantially intact, a rotary drum cov- 10 and a series of beater rolls associated with the drum and operative to cause the suspended web to vibrate rapidly thereby to separate the hair sections from the down fibers.

21. Apparatus for use in preparing cashmere and similar fleece, comprising relatively short coarse hairs intermingled with relatively finer down fibers, for textile use, said apparatus being of the kind in which a card reduces the fleece to the form of a web wherein the constituent hairs and down fibers are indiscriminately oriented, hair-dividing means operative to divide the majority at least of the hairs into short lengths while leaving the majority at least of the down fibers substantially intact, a rotary drum covered with card clothing, means for drawing and opening the web and for delivering it to the drum so that it is suspended upon the teeth of the --drum, a series of beater elements operative to impart rapid vibration of short amplitude tothe web suspended on the drum teeth, a dofier roll, means for transferring the web to the dollar roll, and means for separating the web from the dofier roll.

ROBERT A. FAIRBAIRN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,049,905 Gminder Aug. 4, 1936 2,118,200 Hess May 24, 193 8 1,936,548 Brooks Nov. 21, 1933 1,764,892 Rocamora June 17, 1930 2,244,203 Kern June 3, 1941 31,425 Davis Feb. 12, 1861 39,381 Davis Aug. 4, 1863 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,420,035. May 6, 194:1. ROBERT A. FAIRBAIRN It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Column 4, line 59, for air read hair; lines 64 and 65, for furnishing read furnished; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 24th day of June, A. 1947.

LESLIE FRAZER,

First Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

